Tag : Sci-Fi

Thirteen, released as Black Man in UK, is near-future science fiction, very much in the vein of Bladerunner. A failed government program to produce a more violent, aggressive form of military fighter has resulted in the U.S. rounding up most of the test subjects and isolating them on Mars, a place where no one with any sense would wish to spend their days. But not all of the government subjects have been caught and shipped out to Mars. Enter Carl Marsalis, a hit man who would like nothing more than to stop killing and put his past behind him-and when he's eventually captured in Miami, it seems like the government might take care of his problems for him. Unfortunately, around the same time a transport from Mars arrives back on earth. The entire crew has been killed by a stowaway who turns out to be one of these violent superhumans-and maybe something worse. Now Marsalis is given a choice: use his heightened powers to hunt down the killer, or face a fate worse than death.

Thirteen, released as Black Man in UK, is near-future science fiction, very much in the vein of Bladerunner. A failed government program to produce a more violent, aggressive form of military fighter has resulted in the U.S. rounding up most of the test subjects and isolating them on Mars, a place where no one with any sense would wish to spend their days. But not all of the government subjects have been caught and shipped out to Mars. Enter Carl Marsalis, a hit man who would like nothing more than to stop killing and put his past behind him-and when he's eventually captured in Miami, it seems like the government might take care of his problems for him. Unfortunately, around the same time a transport from Mars arrives back on earth. The entire crew has been killed by a stowaway who turns out to be one of these violent superhumans-and maybe something worse. Now Marsalis is given a choice: use his heightened powers to hunt down the killer, or face a fate worse than death.

Undoubtedly Morgan’s best-written novel so far,Thirteenis a near-future story of genetic engineering gone badly wrong — a future version of all those classic paranoid political thrillers of the 70’s but with a much harder edge. Highly recommended. Also very helpful re advising on things to think about before booking your next trip back from Mars.

When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. To investigate, Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to its equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the vibrant city of Ul Qoma. But this is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a seeing of the unseen. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.

When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. To investigate, Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to its equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the vibrant city of Ul Qoma. But this is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a seeing of the unseen. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.

In the twenty-seventh century, accelerated technology dictates the memories and personalities of people. With most of his own memories deleted, Robin enters The Glasshouse - an experimental polity where he finds himself at the mercy of his own unbalanced psyche.

In the twenty-seventh century, accelerated technology dictates the memories and personalities of people. With most of his own memories deleted, Robin enters The Glasshouse - an experimental polity where he finds himself at the mercy of his own unbalanced psyche.

Stross is the single best emerging talent with several outstanding novels in various styles under his belt. Glasshouse is Stross’s latest book and perhaps the best introduction to his work. A paranoid journey into a world of intergalactic teleportation and arbitrary physical body reshaping will have you thinking twice about who you are, and how you know who you are.

Neal Stephenson defies comparison - a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. And Snow Crash is just such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.

Neal Stephenson defies comparison - a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. And Snow Crash is just such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.

Within the computer field, there are classical books I still find impressive, like Snow Crash. That was really ten years ahead of its time. It kind of anticipated what’s going to happen, and I find that really interesting.

Once in a great while, a science fiction story is so visionary, yet so close to impending scientific developments that it becomes not only an accurate predictor, but itself the locus for new discoveries and development. True Names by Vernor Vinge, first published in 1981, is such a work. Cyberspace, Software Bots, Avatars etc are all anticipated here; this before IBM had launched the PC!

Once in a great while, a science fiction story is so visionary, yet so close to impending scientific developments that it becomes not only an accurate predictor, but itself the locus for new discoveries and development. True Names by Vernor Vinge, first published in 1981, is such a work. Cyberspace, Software Bots, Avatars etc are all anticipated here; this before IBM had launched the PC!

if you haven’t had the pleasure, be sure to read True Names, Vinge’s 1981 novella that forecast the modern Internet with shocking clarity. Fans of Gibson and Stephenson will be amazed to see how much more accurately Vinge called it, and before Neuromancer‘s first page cleared Gibson’s manual typewriter.

Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls in the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life—and the entire future of humanity—is about to be decoded and reprogrammed.

Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls in the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life—and the entire future of humanity—is about to be decoded and reprogrammed.

You can’t build new things just with technical know-how; you need imagination. Stephenson’s is boundless: This novel is not just the most entertaining book you can read about artificial intelligence and nanotechnology; it will inspire inventions your kids will use — or create.

'New Atlantis' is an unfinished novel depicting the imaginary land of Bensalem, published in 1627. In this work, Bacon depicts a Utopia where its inhabitants live happily with the sciences, reflecting his belief that Science will solve all the evils of the world.

'New Atlantis' is an unfinished novel depicting the imaginary land of Bensalem, published in 1627. In this work, Bacon depicts a Utopia where its inhabitants live happily with the sciences, reflecting his belief that Science will solve all the evils of the world.

Today we take for granted what used to exist only in dreams. Francis Bacon dreamed of science and technology to make our lives better. We’ve gotten a lot done since, but ‘New Atlantis’ is still futuristic, especially for science fiction from 1627.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a comedy science fiction series, originally conceived as a radio series for BBC Radio 4. It was later written as a series of novels by the author. This edition collects in in one complete paperback volume the five classic novels from Douglas Adams’s beloved Hitchhiker series.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a comedy science fiction series, originally conceived as a radio series for BBC Radio 4. It was later written as a series of novels by the author. This edition collects in in one complete paperback volume the five classic novels from Douglas Adams’s beloved Hitchhiker series.

I read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy when I was around 14 or 15. It highlighted an important point which is that a lot of times the question is harder than the answer. And if you can properly phrase the question, then the answer is the easy part.